Lava Clouds

I was making a “Plein Air” sunset painting when I used too much heavily pigmented black in the clouds. I loved the way the ocean turned out, so rather than pulling out some color I decided to use some of the lava sand I was sitting on for texture. I wish I had some medium or gel here to set it, but I will take a bag of washed sand home to reconstruct the effect.

I tried various things my sister had on hand, hairspray that didn’t want to set and boot waterproofing spray, which didn’t adhere the sand to the paper. Luckily I used a test sheet, not the original. For now I will be content with some interesting black clouds and add the lava later.

Island Light

This reflects the moody quality of the weather and the stormy light in the clouds. Usually the sunsets are spectacular here, but this night there was only a brief flash of peach after sun set behind the clouds. A few straggling tourists turned out, along with long term ex-pat residents who come well  prepared with beach chairs and cocktails.

Like a Rainbow

I wonder if you can tell which way up this was painted. I actually can’t remember myself, but when I had finished I thought it looked better the other way up. Now I’m not sure which way I like it.
Hmmm what do you think?

Beach at Sunset

This is a “Plein Air” painting of a black lava beach at sunset. The sun sets rapidly here and I was virtually painting in the dark by the time I finished. I tried to capture the color of the clouds and the light on the wet sand and I think it worked well.

Drawing

Walkabout Gem

Another page from that old sketchbook.

I love the simplicity of composition here and the quick graphite squiggles for clouds, waves and dunes. I’ve never been a big prep artist, preferring to launch straight into painting, but it does get me into trouble. A few preparatory sketches can save a lot of time and heartache.

This would make a lovely painting dont you think?

Oil pastels and Thirroul

Thirroul by Sea Dean

Oil Pastel
Approx 5” x 7” on paper

Walkabout Gem

This is a rare oil pastel work which I created at a very happy time in my life. A view of my favorite beach in a place called Thirroul, NSW Australia. Thirroul was a quiet place back then, but now the developers have moved in and Sydney folk have purchased swank condos for weekend breaks. The artists and hippies have moved on and cheap chippies have been replaced by expensive coffee shops and boutiques.

I’ve had these oil pstels since I was in art school. They always intimidated me, but looking at this painting I don’t know why. Oil pastels are less messy and more robust than soft pastels. The colors are almost as vibrant. I think I will use them more now; Perhaps I will even take some online lessons.

Abstract Beach

ABSTRACT BEACH
Mixed Media
6"  x 4" cold pressed watercolor paper

A theme I often work with because I love walking on the beach and listening to the sound of the waves. This painting uses multiple types of brush strokes and many colors to depict the land and the water. The medium is watercolor with a touch of acrylic in the waves.

Pacific Bay

PACIFIC BAY
Watercolor by Sea Dean
4" x 6" cold pressed watercolor paper

A sweet painting of a southern shore.

FAMOUS ARTIST BIRTHDAY - JACK VETTRIANO

THE SINGING BUTLER by Jack Vettriano

JACK VETTRIANO

Jack Vettriano OBE (born 17 November 1951 in Scotland as Jack Hoggan). His 1992 painting, The Singing Butler, is the best selling Art Print in the UK. The original painting sold at auction for £744,800, in 2004, a record at the time for any Scottish painting and in fact for any painting ever sold in Scotland. Click on the links for information about this famous work and the fascinating artist that created it.

If you aren't familiar with this painting where have you been?

I own a print of "The Singing Butler" and it hung in my home for many years. I found it endlessly fascinating, from the dappled treatment of the wet sand, to the grey skies, to questions about the couple, their servants and how the artist came up with the idea. It is probably instrumental in me returning to painting after many years working with different media.

Jack Vettriano paints slightly nostalgic works that depict fairly generic people, often with a sexual overtone. His early work while he was finding his feet as an artist and struggling for income, was much less raunchy.

Here is my analysis, of "The Singing Butler" taking into account what I have discovered about creating work that sells. Firstly, I note that all the subjects are facing away from the viewer: This creates interest and curiosity. The unusual light and the beautiful sand are enhanced by the darkened sky which heightens the honey tones in the sand and hints at this taking place just before or after a storm. Servants! Ah yes wouldn't everyone love to have a couple of loyal and attentive servants to shelter their employers from the rain and mop their brow? There is something about paintings with umbrellas; perhaps a suggestion of protection from the raging world? Then there is dancing ... women love to dance and dream of having a partner to whisk her around the dance floor or any location, even a beach! Beaches are a winning formula for many artists even for me in my land locked desert region. Take a moment to reflect on the composition with its straight lines and triangles, which always lead focus back to the dancing couple, yet create a sense of peace and dynamism which keep the eye moving. Lastly the chosen colours fit well in most homes, mainly grey, black and white with naples yellow for warmth (and to match the Magnolia walls) and that all important touch of red without which the painting would be quite boring. I've blogged before about the importance of adding red to the focal point. All in all it's a master work and it's no wonder it has become so famous and made Jack Vettriano a star.

IPAD DRAWINGS - Ocean Series - Seagull View

SEAGULL VIEW
Oceans Series by Sea Dean 
Copyrighted iPad drawing
Available as a one time use download or limited edition print

I'm constantly striving to capture the atmosphere of the ocean on a summer day. There are many ways to depict waves, but I love these simple linear layers with delicate tonal lines. I'm not sure about the clouds and whether they blend enough with the rest of the drawing. What do you think?

Now available as an Art Card
5" x 6.5" Art Card and envelope with 6" x 4" gloss or low sheen photo 
$5 each + shipping - $24 per 6 same design. $30 per 10 same design. 
Combined shipping available for multiples.

Poinsettia makes a wonderful holiday card. I've cropped it to 4" x 6" which gives it a modern slant and my retailers are giving great feedback about the glossy look.

IPAD DRAWINGS - Ocean Series - The Oceans Edge

THE OCEANS EDGE
Oceans Series by Sea Dean
Copyrighted iPad drawing
Available as a one time use download or limited edition print

This drawing was quite a challenge. As with many of my recent works I strive for simplicity but find myself wanting to add more texture or different strokes to create interest. After several wipes, I decided on more color and more detailed line work and I'm very pleased with the result. I particularly like the pebble and shell effect on the sand and the linear swirls in the ocean.

IRELAND THE BEAUTIFUL - NORTHERN IRELAND SLIDE TOUR - DRAMATIC COAST and ROCKY SHORE

DRAMATIC COAST ACEO
By Sea Dean

SOLD

This is a slide tour of Northern Ireland that my friend Bob Jones created from his trip last July. I'm so fortunate that Bob allows me to paint from his wonderful images. These days I rarely follow an image exactly because I like to add my own colors and tweak the composition, but Bob's work does inspire me.

Above and below are sold ACEO that remind me of the dramatic coast of Northern Ireland. If you love one or both of them, I would enjoy painting something similar in a larger work, so just contact me through this blog.

ROCKY SHORE ACEO
By Sea Dean
SOLD

SUN AND SAIL

SUN AND SAIL
12" x 12" Deep Wrap Canvas



This is part of my new sailing series. Our lake is perfect for sailing and this lucky person has a rather large cabin cruiser to play with. I'm green with envy.

I've started prepping for my next Paint a Masterpiece Class which takes place on Sunday. As usual it's shaping up to be a very interesting group. We are going to touch on texture which is so important to the  advanced acrylic artist. I think I can slide in one or two more students if you are interested. The class is for anything from absolute beginner to advanced because in a micro class I can give each individual special attention. Contact me for more information.

BEACH IMPRESSION by Sea Dean

BEACH IMPRESSION 
by Sea Dean
6" X 6" mixed media paper
Currently mounted in 8" x 10" soft white mat with 6" x 4" opening, but can be mailed without the mat if you prefer.



I think it's a good time to start thinking of spring. I know it's not quite time yet, but with Easter being early this year, my thoughts are already turning to lazy days walking the tide line.

Spring is a great time to go beach combing with a warm jacket and a flask of tea. Now is the time you may find a glass fishing float or some other interesting flotsam or jetsam. Have you ever found anything interesting in your beach walks? I'd love to hear about it.

30 PAINTINGS IN 30 DAYS - # 19 - EDGE OF THE OCEAN

EDGE OF THE OCEAN

4.75" x 3.5" Golden Open Acrylic and Watercolour on French Watercolour Paper

This is a composition I'm working on for a client that has requested a 30" x 40" ocean scene. You may remember I painted a similar ACEO a couple of years ago, but it had more detail and iridescent highlights. The request is for a very simple composition and limited colour.
 

 
SHIPPING 16th MARCH 2016 OR LATER - SOME PAINTINGS AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE DISPATCH FROM MY OUTLETS AS NOTED IN DESCRIPTION ON DAILY PAINTWORKS
  

Stay tuned for more new paintings in the next 30 days.

If you are an artist and would like to join in, here is the link - 30 in 30
Posted as # 147 on 30 in 30 Blog

30 PAINTINGS IN 30 DAYS - DAY 8 - WALKING THE DOG

WALKING THE DOG
3.5" x 4.75"
Fine Quality Water Colours on French WC Paper



Taking the dog for a walk by the lake on a lovely fresh day.

SHIPPING 16th MARCH 2016 OR LATER - SOME PAINTINGS AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE DISPATCH FROM MY OUTLETS AS NOTED IN DESCRIPTION ON DAILY PAINTWORKS

Stay tuned for more new paintings in the next 30 days.

If you are an artist and would like to join in, here is the link - 30 in 30
Posted as # 78  on 30 in 30 Blog

AFFORDABLES - Seascape I

SEASCAPE I
Sea Dean
9" x 12" Cotton Canvas Sheet
Limited time offer $75 includes shipping to Canada, UK and USA -
Reduced shipping elsewhere.



View my online Gallery of large works and Limited Editions at ARTFINDER
View my online Gallery of small works at DAILY PAINTWORKS
Shop for Limited Edition ACEO and printed products here
Art Cards $5 and Art Postcards $3 here

I am joining over 700 artists in the Leslie Saeta 30 paintings in 30 days challenge - DAY 9

For a theme I've chosen abstract painting. I've painted many abstracts, but I feel I need to develop a consistent style. When I visit a gallery it is always the abstracts that catch my attention, particularly if they have an colourful palette, so it's time to create my own series.

Here is "Seascape I", inspired by an island storm. Here I was concentrating on texture and using the palette knife in different ways. The painting is finished to a high shine with Gamvar, museum quality varnish.

For this series of abstracts I will ship anywhere in the UK and North America, inclusive. Your purchase will arrive ready to mount, mat or frame as you choose. Should you prefer, I can mount, mat or frame and ship ready to hang, please contact me for a quote.

THE WAVE
6" x 6"
Canvas Card
SOLD 

I had the pleasure of visiting my Gallerist today and finding out which of my paintings had sold. It is always interesting to see what works and what doesn't in that location. Cathy is my main contact with the buying public ... my eyes and ears, because they rarely talk freely in front of the artist. As always many of my ACEO had sold but also many slightly larger paintings, mini masterpieces and small squares.

This wave painting had sold, but as usual I'm always happy to create another in the series in any size to suit your space.


Day 9 - 30 paintings in 30 days - Added as #6 on Leslie Saeta's Blog

SUMMER BOY III

I rise quite early in the summer to get the most out of the morning before the heat arrives. These days there is a definite snap in the air and the hint of what we hope is a mild winter to come.

These are the dog days of summer and my SUMMER BOY will soon put his swimmers away and his holiday romance will become a memory tucked away in his suitcase at the bottom of the closet. At the moment it is raw and fresh and he is so engrossed in his cyber flirting that he is missing the view. I want to give him a thwack, relieve him of his toy and say "take time to enjoy this place for soon it will be gone".

SUMMER BOY III
7" x 5" Canvas Panel



View my online Gallery of large works and Limited Editions at ARTFINDER
View my online Gallery of small works at DAILY PAINTWORKS
Shop for Limited Edition ACEO and printed products here
Art Cards $5 and Art Postcards $3 here


At this time of year tourism is at it's height, the bush is dry and smouldering camp fires are a major hazzard. Today I was woken by the smell of smoke and I took a tour around the building to make sure it wasn't inside. No, it was out in the valley and as dawn broke I could see deep dense smoke everywhere.



It's times like this that I long for the arrival of fall and winter when visitors drift away and our beautiful vistas are safely wrapped in snow.

TRY THIS TRICK TO SELL YOUR PAINTINGS

MISTY WALK ON LONG BEACH by Sea Dean 24" x 36"

There is something strange I've noticed about really good art...

To stay current, I read many many art blogs, reviews and newsletters and see over 200 paintings a day. You learn a lot when you see that much art passing in front of your eyes. The thing I most love to analyse is the work of masters, past and present, to discover why these paintings in particular have sold and/or stood the test of time.

When viewing art, I try to consider my current painting challenges, the media I am experimenting with, composition, colour combinations, subject matter etc. It is therefore not surprising that I often notice strong compositional technique (because this is an area I am challenged with). One of the most amazing things I've concluded over the years is that no matter how much you zoom in, crop, photo shop or mess around in any way with a master painting, it always looks amazing. Each part is awe inspiring. Each brushstroke has meaning. Each shift in light and dark is planned (or accidental and embellished by the artist's infallible mastery). Even the size and shape is important

MISTY WALK ON LONG BEACH by Sea Dean 12" x 36"

Try it some time. Take a high quality image of a Monet, or equally great masterpiece and crop it into as many small paintings as you can. How many can you create from one large work? I'm talking about crops that retain the same awesome quality as the whole, even if they are a tiny abstracts. First try different crops with the main focal point included. Make some modern crops, cutting off part of the main subject. Group crops to create a completely different abstract work. Move around the edges and see how interesting they can be.

Monet, particularly as he got older, left portions of bare canvas mainly on the edge. Some may consider this sloppy, but this can add interest to a painting and a crop. A little trick I've discovered is that one of the most interesting crops is usually near the artist's signature, but not necessarily including it.

MISTY WALK ON LONG BEACH by Sea Dean 12" x 12"

Some artists paint on flat canvas and crop paintings out of the large piece later. This works really well for abstracts, but can be used on any genre. It is particularly useful for paintings that are languishing in the back of the studio because they've hung in every gallery, show, exhibition and website and haven't sold in many years.

I've know artists that reconfigure their own paintings and on occasion, I've done it myself (see the painting above). A dynamic crop and a new mat or frame can do wonders for an older piece. This is also a great thing to try if you create prints of your work. Perhaps you don't want to sell prints of the whole piece, but what about interesting small portions cropped to put on art cards, cell phones, pillows etc? Professional artists are constantly looking for ways to stretch their creative time, and this is one way to do it without compromising your original art sales.

MISTY WALK ON LONG BEACH by Sea Dean 12" x 16"

VIew my online Gallery of large works and Limited Editions at ARTFINDER
View my online Gallery of small works at DAILY PAINTWORKS
Shop for Limited Edition ACEO and printed products here
Art Cards $5 and Art Postcards $3 here

OCEAN PAINTING - Walking the dog

SPACE
By Sea Dean
5" x 7" Canvas Panel

Back to the ocean. This was painted for a Daily Paintworks challenge to choose a word and illustrate it. I chose space, and I think this makes a good rendition of the feeling of space you get when walking a tidal beach. One of the beaches we used to visit when I was a child was like this, when the tide was out you had to walk what seemed like miles to my little legs to get to the water. Beaches like this are great places to walk, which is exactly what the tiny figure is doing. 

I tried to photograph the image to show some of the irridescent paint which highlights places around the canvas. This catches the room lights and represents the bright sunlight hitting tidal pools, just like it does on one of those glorious summer walks.

I haven't had an auction on Daily Paintworks for a while, so this one is on auction for one week. You can bid by following the link to my Daily Paintworks gallery below. It starts at only $10

VIew my online Gallery of large works and Limited Editions at ARTFINDER
View my online Gallery of small works at DAILY PAINTWORKS
Shop for Limited Edition ACEO and printed products here
Art Cards $5 and Art Postcards $3 here